Trip to NCR
Today we spent the morning with the designers and leaders from NCR. We were given a tour around their lab, studios and room 504.
The soul purpose of this visit was to familiarize myself and other students in my class with the whole purpose and background of NCR. Our new brief which we have been set was given to us by NCR and is a competition between Innovative Product Design students at Dundee University and Industrial Design students at Grays School of Art in Aberdeen.
A guy called Charlie Rohan introduced us and gave us a quick introduction to the company and the work they do all around the world.
Their main focus is on the design, purpose, function and development of ATM machines.
Which as a product, are very complexed and detailed systems. There are so many aspects to take into consideration eg. Function,security and architecture.
ADOPTION = USABILITY AND USEFULNESS
It was insightful to realize how very different every country of the world approach the concept of banking and the way different societies use ATM machines.
For example, in Germany people do get bank statements posted out to their home address. Therefore, the printing of a statement becomes a primary function of the ATM machine. In Egypt, the majority of their ATM machines are situated in the back of trucks. Therefore, creating a entirely new concept of mobile banking.
Evidently, as designers produce new ideas these have to be tested on the users.
NCR are designing for a constantly changing democratic society and therefore they must make sure that all the assumptions they make are infact true and their design intent possess the possibility to be manufactured.
The way that individuals use cash machines are changing every day. Cheques are rapidly going out of fashion; typing in a pin number is slowly incorporating advanced technology such as biometrics, iris scanning, voice recognition, swiping a card rather then inserting it.
The designers explained the different techniques they utilize in order to show the customers these new, evolving ideas. Customers are familiar with the behavior that they are used too and aspects such as advertising, graphics and models all contribute to selling the whole process to society.
Marketing, merchandising and the environment are all areas of huge significance to the team at NCR.
The concept of money and currency is also of great importance. Is money going to gradually disappear from our lives entirely? Before the idea of trading was utilized correctly and became an integral part of the society and the way we live, money did not exist. Do users always NEED a physical interface or product?
An interface they discussed was mobile phones. Everyone has one. We are familiar with mobile phones . And most importantly we TRUST them. Imagine the scenario: you are waiting in a que to the ATM machine and you can somehow inform your mobile phone of the transaction you wish to make. This in itself, takes away the element of waiting. You then reach the ATM machine, type in your mobile number and bingo. transaction complete.
Room 504 was inspiring. It held models of blue sky ideas. The name originated from a hotel room number 504.
Slogans I noticed on various models were:
ENJOY LIFE
THE SUPERIOR SPECIES HAVE ARRIVED
MIGRATE TO A BETTER PLACE
With regards to visuals. The company reach out to customers using a wide range of mediums. From rendered sketches, written explanations, card models, life size models, appearance models and functioning models.
Their designs almost resemble furniture. Design and technology integrating seamlessly. Obviously, when humans and cash merge there are always margins for error to occur: one of the many reasons why the research behind these concepts is so complexed.
The day ended with a quick discussion between the students and the board of NCR design directors. This was to give us a chance to ask any questions regarding the brief we have been set. Their feedback and advice was helpful although I felt I was aware of most the facts they pointed out already, which was comforting as I am obviously on the right tracks with my project.
ADVICE
Show them that we understand our character, we have defined a need for our character.
Explain how we would take our idea forward in business terms.
Show uniqueness.
Sell our idea.
Show how good our idea is for our character.
Our finished outcome does not necessarily have to be a product.
Define what a product is? A video? A role play? Or a combination of many things.
BE CREATIVE.
They want to get us thinking in ways that is are going to inspire them.
Make their designers think. Stimulate them.
Stimulate our local design community.
We are delivering a service. A self service.
Justify if our character really needs a financial service.
Justify everything.
Everything we challenge on the brief. They will challenge us on.
Looking back I had a good morning, it was insightful, informative and inspiring. But to be honest, not creative enough for me. I like designs that make me smile and make me think about my behavior and question why we act the way we do. But, on saying that the models we were shown today were out of this world. The company itself is doing amazing work all over the globe and I am excited by the fact they have set us this brief. A challenge.
The soul purpose of this visit was to familiarize myself and other students in my class with the whole purpose and background of NCR. Our new brief which we have been set was given to us by NCR and is a competition between Innovative Product Design students at Dundee University and Industrial Design students at Grays School of Art in Aberdeen.
A guy called Charlie Rohan introduced us and gave us a quick introduction to the company and the work they do all around the world.
Their main focus is on the design, purpose, function and development of ATM machines.
Which as a product, are very complexed and detailed systems. There are so many aspects to take into consideration eg. Function,security and architecture.
ADOPTION = USABILITY AND USEFULNESS
It was insightful to realize how very different every country of the world approach the concept of banking and the way different societies use ATM machines.
For example, in Germany people do get bank statements posted out to their home address. Therefore, the printing of a statement becomes a primary function of the ATM machine. In Egypt, the majority of their ATM machines are situated in the back of trucks. Therefore, creating a entirely new concept of mobile banking.
Evidently, as designers produce new ideas these have to be tested on the users.
NCR are designing for a constantly changing democratic society and therefore they must make sure that all the assumptions they make are infact true and their design intent possess the possibility to be manufactured.
The way that individuals use cash machines are changing every day. Cheques are rapidly going out of fashion; typing in a pin number is slowly incorporating advanced technology such as biometrics, iris scanning, voice recognition, swiping a card rather then inserting it.
The designers explained the different techniques they utilize in order to show the customers these new, evolving ideas. Customers are familiar with the behavior that they are used too and aspects such as advertising, graphics and models all contribute to selling the whole process to society.
Marketing, merchandising and the environment are all areas of huge significance to the team at NCR.
The concept of money and currency is also of great importance. Is money going to gradually disappear from our lives entirely? Before the idea of trading was utilized correctly and became an integral part of the society and the way we live, money did not exist. Do users always NEED a physical interface or product?
An interface they discussed was mobile phones. Everyone has one. We are familiar with mobile phones . And most importantly we TRUST them. Imagine the scenario: you are waiting in a que to the ATM machine and you can somehow inform your mobile phone of the transaction you wish to make. This in itself, takes away the element of waiting. You then reach the ATM machine, type in your mobile number and bingo. transaction complete.
Room 504 was inspiring. It held models of blue sky ideas. The name originated from a hotel room number 504.
Slogans I noticed on various models were:
ENJOY LIFE
THE SUPERIOR SPECIES HAVE ARRIVED
MIGRATE TO A BETTER PLACE
With regards to visuals. The company reach out to customers using a wide range of mediums. From rendered sketches, written explanations, card models, life size models, appearance models and functioning models.
Their designs almost resemble furniture. Design and technology integrating seamlessly. Obviously, when humans and cash merge there are always margins for error to occur: one of the many reasons why the research behind these concepts is so complexed.
The day ended with a quick discussion between the students and the board of NCR design directors. This was to give us a chance to ask any questions regarding the brief we have been set. Their feedback and advice was helpful although I felt I was aware of most the facts they pointed out already, which was comforting as I am obviously on the right tracks with my project.
ADVICE
Show them that we understand our character, we have defined a need for our character.
Explain how we would take our idea forward in business terms.
Show uniqueness.
Sell our idea.
Show how good our idea is for our character.
Our finished outcome does not necessarily have to be a product.
Define what a product is? A video? A role play? Or a combination of many things.
BE CREATIVE.
They want to get us thinking in ways that is are going to inspire them.
Make their designers think. Stimulate them.
Stimulate our local design community.
We are delivering a service. A self service.
Justify if our character really needs a financial service.
Justify everything.
Everything we challenge on the brief. They will challenge us on.
Looking back I had a good morning, it was insightful, informative and inspiring. But to be honest, not creative enough for me. I like designs that make me smile and make me think about my behavior and question why we act the way we do. But, on saying that the models we were shown today were out of this world. The company itself is doing amazing work all over the globe and I am excited by the fact they have set us this brief. A challenge.
posted by LAUREN© at 9:57 PM
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